umbrella at your side
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: She looked like a specter walking through the pouring rain.


When Homura heard those words from her parents - words that had escaped her now, her memory of it just their mouths moving and no sound coming out - she had quietly said, "Okay," and left them to their own space. She had quietly slipped out, still in her uniform, and walked down the street in no particular direction.

It had been cold all day, the wind making shirts and dresses on the clothes lines flap upward. The kind that fought against Homura's stride, her braids far behind her. But she kept walking aimlessly.

Her mind was a blank, her emotions all wired up and having no outlet. She didn't even notice when the first smattering of rain fell, darkening the ground and causing the people around her to shuffle hurriedly.

The rain grew heavier and heavier and before long when she exhaled her breath was visible. Her glasses were covered in droplets of water and still Homura walked. The stream of people lessened the further she went, leaving only a few when she got close to her destination.

She finally stopped at a park, her aching legs finding relief when she sat down on a bench. The cold water felt like nothing, and she drew her arms around herself, shaking.

She closed her eyes and listened to the thunder. Her parents wouldn't notice her if they were still wrapped up in that discussion but she didn't want to face them just yet. She didn't want to hear them spill out their mistakes and grievances.

Or wonder if it was her fault.

Something metal and cold slid over her shoulder, and Homura opened her eyes. She looked up slightly and saw an umbrella, the cloth a red polka dot pattern. Homura held onto the handle and looked around for whoever placed this on her shoulder.

There was a girl walking away, her school bag covering her head from the rain drops. Homura called out, and the girl turned around.

"You can use that," she said, her foot moving in the direction she was going. "If you want."

Homura stood up, and held out the umbrella to the girl. "I'm already soaked. You should take it."

"It's okay, I don't live far," the girl said, her voice catching a little at the end.

"You're lying," said Homura. She thrust the umbrella emphatically, the umbrella covering half of them.

"And you might get sick," said the girl. "How about I walk you home and take the umbrella at the end of it? We both win that way."

If it meant the girl would take back the umbrella. Homura nodded.

"Okay." The girl huddled under the umbrella with Homura and they walked together. There was an awkward silence.

"I hope I'm not troubling you," Homura said.

"No, no," the girl replied. "It's no trouble. Sometimes I forget my umbrella, too."

She took a glance at Homura's uniform and said, "I don't recognize your uniform."

"I don't think I'll be able to go to my school anymore," Homura said. "My parents are getting a-" She stopped, realizing it would be impolite to tell this to a stranger.

"That's a shame," said the girl. "Will you be able to keep in touch with your friends?"

"I, um. I hope so."

"I hope it'll work out. So that you don't have to leave."

They walked through a busier area and had to link their arms to stay together. The rain didn't let up and Homura stealthily kept herself where the umbrella would cover most of the girl and her school bag.

Eventually, Homura found herself on her street, her house just a few ways down. She turned to the girl, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by what she left at her house.

"Thank you for walking me here," she said.

"You're welcome," said the girl. "Oh, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kaname Madoka."

"I'm Akemi Homura." She tilted her head a little. "And thank you again."

Madoka opened her school bag, and wrote down something on a piece of paper. She handed it to Homura.

"Good luck with everything," she said. "If you want to talk you can call me, okay?"

Homura nodded. With a smile, Madoka waved good-bye and set off for her home.

Homura held the paper close and ran to her house. When she got under the awning she looked at the paper and to her relief the writing was still eligible.

It still took a while for her to walk inside but the overwhelming feeling had dissipated.

**A/N: Originally posted on AO3 on May 8 2017**


End file.
